As You Wish
by TheSuperNerdyNanny
Summary: It's been five months since Emily started dating Peter Parker. Everything has been going well, she's even met Aunt May. But when Peter changes his suit, will he change with it? (Peter Parker/OC) Sequel to The Reporter
1. Chapter 1

Being in a relationship with Spider-Man was definitely unlike anything I had ever experienced. It had only been five months since we started dating, but it felt like no time at all. I loved that Peter was Spider-Man, even though the constant worry for his safety definitely had me drinking a bit more.

Thankfully my cast was taken off and my arm was completely healed. It took a bit longer to heal my paranoia that the Rhino was going to come crashing through the wall next to me, but visits to a local therapist and John Jameson helped tremendously.

John was slowly becoming one of my very best friends. The shared trauma we experienced made him easy to talk to and his dry sense of humor matched mine perfectly. I felt as safe with him as I did with Peter. Unfortunately though, John was currently orbiting the earth on a scientific mission, making it impossible to talk to him. He was due back in a few days and I was looking forward to his return.

One day when the air was finally starting to feel like something resembling a summer (I was still used to the heat of the California Sacramento Valley), Peter asked me to come with him to a graveyard before going to his aunt's house for dinner. I wasn't too sure about the idea, but agreed nonetheless. I had a feeling I knew who we were visiting. The fact that he asked me to accompany him meant he was willing to open up even more, something I still craved in our relationship.

I followed his lead through the graveyard, holding his hand in what I hoped was a comforting way and adjusting my hold on the bouquet I bought in my other. My stomach twisted uncomfortably, nervous about "meeting" someone who had been so close to Peter.

Eventually, he stopped in his tracks. I looked down and read the name "Gwen Stacy" on the tombstone we stood in front of. I turned to look at Peter, whose face was carefully blank as he stared down at the name. I waited for him to speak, but when he didn't I detached my hand from his, bent down and placed the white lilies on her grave.

"Hey Gwen," I started softly. I looked back at Peter who was gazing at me with confusion and wonder. I turned back to the tombstone. "My name is Emily. I'm Peter's new girlfriend." I hesitated before continuing. "I know this is probably weird, but I feel like I knew you with how much everyone talks about you. They all miss you so much. I wish I had been able to meet you properly.

"I just wanted you to know that Peter is okay. And I will take care of him and make sure he stays that way, I promise. I will never be able to replace you, but I hope I can deserve him like you did." I placed a kiss on my fingertips and touched her gravestone gently. I was about to stand when I saw Peter's hand extended to me out of the corner of my eye. I took it gratefully and he helped me to my feet.

Once I was upright, Peter enveloped me in a tight hug. No words were spoken, but his meaning was clear. He was thanking me for saying something when he couldn't find the words. I rubbed his neck softly, kissing his cheek before leaning back. I smiled encouragingly and he nodded. Slowly, he too knelt in front of the cold gravestone.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, almost too quietly for me to hear. "I miss you." He stayed motionless for a few moments.

"Do you want some time?" I whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and held my hand.

"No," he said finally. "I need you here." My heart warmed at his words and I nodded, even though his back was to me. After a few more minutes, he stood. I gave him another quick hug before he stood back. "There's one more place I want to show you." I had a feeling I knew where he was talking about.

Sure enough, after winding through the graves carefully, we arrived at a modest stone slab in the earth upon which the name "Benjamin Parker" was carved. We stood before it, hands entwined.

"He would have liked you," Peter said suddenly. I turned to him.

"You really think so?" I said, a small smile on my face. He chuckled.

"I do," he said. I playfully tossed my hair over my shoulder.

"Well what's not to like?" I joked, giving him a wink. Peter laughed appreciatively.

"Thanks for this, Em," He said after another moment. "Usually I'm alone when I come here. It's nice to have someone helping me." I squeezed his hand softly.

"I'm always here when you need me, Pete," I responded. He turned his head to me, his eyes misty. He nodded but stayed silent, his gaze straying back to the tombstone. I stroked his hand with my thumb. "I'll give you a minute. Remember we have to go to Aunt May's for dinner," I reminded gently. He nodded again and I meandered my way to a nearby tree.

I took the moment of solitude to try and comprehend what had just happened. This was a huge step in our relationship, even more so than meeting his aunt. I chuckled at the thought of our first encounter.

I had been writing in my apartment, my cat Pumpkin sleeping on my lap and my laptop perched precariously on the coffee table in front of me. I was nodding my head softly to the music I had playing in the background. Suddenly, I heard a thump from my fire escape balcony. I jumped slightly. Pumpkin however, had a much more violent reaction. His claws flew out from his paws, grabbing through my sweats and into my skin before leaping off my legs. I gasped in pain.

"God dammit, Pumpkin!" I muttered, rubbing the spot roughly.

"You okay, sweetheart?"

His voice startled me, but only slightly. I had had an inkling of what the loud crash was on my fire escape. I looked up to see an upside down Spider-Man head gazing at me through the open window.

Chuckling and looking back to my work, I said, "You know I have a front door." I heard a lighter thump as he twisted himself right side up and let go of my wall.

"That's not nearly as much fun, though!" Peter said, ripping off his mask as he made his way into my apartment. He gave me a gentle kiss on the top of my head when he reached me. "Hey, your cast is off!" He exclaimed. I instinctively looked at my left arm.

"Oh yeah!" I responded equally as excited. "I'm sorry, I was going to text you but I got caught up with my article." He rolled his eyes, but I could see the laughter in them.

"You're such a workaholic," he said, kissing my cheek. I gave a hoot of laughter.

"You're one to talk!"

Peter took my laptop from me and placed it carefully on the table. Turning back to me, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. I hummed in contentment and wrapped my arms around his neck. Before I had a chance to really get going, he pulled away. I frowned but allowed him to leave my embrace and sit next to me. His expression was nervous now.

"What's up, Pete?" I asked. He shifted slightly.

"I want you to come to dinner with me," he mumbled. I laughed, confused.

"Okay," I said immediately. "Why are you so nervous, we've had dinner plenty of times!" He finally met my eyes.

"I want you to come with me to Aunt May's for dinner," he clarified. I sat in stunned silence. I had not expected this. We had been dating about two months and while had spoken of his aunt many times, he had never given me any sort of inclination that he wanted me to meet her. I hadn't asked either. I knew he was nervous about being in a serious relationship after what happened with Gwen and I didn't want to push him.

Realizing I still had not given Peter and answer, I quickly said, "Yes! Yes of course!"

He grinned and pressed his lips against mine firmly. I giggled and pushed him away gently.

"What time do we need to be there?" I asked, leaping to my feet excitedly. I was halfway to my bedroom when Peter answered.

"5 o'clock."

I froze and swiveled on the spot.

"5?!" I screeched. I looked at the clock. It was already 3:45. I hadn't showered, I had no makeup on, I was still in my pajamas, and we were far from Aunt May's part of Queens. Peter turned to me immediately, shocked by outburst.

"Yes?" He responded questioningly.

"I have no time to get ready!" I continued in a panic, rushing into my bedroom and throwing off my shirt. I heard him laugh.

"Em, you look beautiful, you don't have to worry. Just come how you are!" I flew to the doorway of my bedroom in only a bra and sweats, eyebrows raised. His eyes widened comically. "Okay, maybe not just how you are," He croaked, his eyes staring so intently on my bra it was as if he was trying to will it to fall off my body. I rolled my eyes but smiled, ducking back into my bedroom.

Deciding I had no time to shower, I settled for applying a thick layer of dry shampoo on my hair. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. I heard my tv turn on in the living room and the movie the Princess Bride begin. I smiled. Peter had grown very fond of it since I showed him two months ago. He quoted it often and even made quips when he fought bad guys, (I had happened to be a bystander on one such occasion).

I threw on a dress I had toward the back of my closet, a knitted knee length one with a turtleneck and long sleeves. Considering it was still very cold for me, I also grabbed some leggings and boots along with a hat and scarf. Putting on make-up in record time, I was ready by 4:15.

I quickly came back into the living room to see Peter sitting on the couch and laughing at the movie. I smiled, my heart growing warm. I cleared my throat softly, knowing he would hear it. He turned his head to me. He stared for a few moments before speaking.

"You are so gorgeous," Peter murmured. I flushed happily.

"Thanks hun," I said, brushing a piece of hair away from my face. Quickly, I grabbed Peter's arm and pulled him up from the couch. "Come on! We have to get a taxi!" He laughed.

"Come on babe, I can get us there ten times faster." I grimaced.

"I know you could," I conceded. "But you know how I feel about that." Peter cupped my cheek, still grinning.

"I thought you were starting to get over that," he said. I chuckled.

"I am, but I'm already nervous enough meeting your aunt for the first time. Traveling Air Spidey would not be a smart idea for me." He laughed loudly and threw his hands up in defeat.

"Okay, okay!" He made his way to my bedroom. "You still have my spare clothes here?" He called.

"Third drawer down," I responded, taking Peter's seat on the couch. While he was in the other room, I fished through my wallet and pulled out the business card for the taxi service I had used when I first arrived in New York. I couldn't remember the taxi driver's name, but I remembered liking him.

Within a few minutes, he was dressed in a plain shirt and jeans along with some old shoes he left here for such emergencies. I jumped up from the couch and began walking to the door.

"Come on, the taxi will be here soon!" I called over my shoulder.

A light touch on my arm jogged me back to present day. I turned my head to see Peter looking slightly concerned.

"You okay sweetheart?" He asked worriedly. "I was calling you." I chuckled and kissed his cheek.

"Sorry Pete," I said. "I was remembering the first time I met Aunt May." He laughed.

"You were so terrified," he said, reminiscing as well. "It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen." I rolled my eyes and playfully batted his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," I said. "Come on, we are going to be late."

* * *

 _Hello everyone! *throws confetti* Welcome back to the adventures of Emily and Peter!_

 _I'm soooo sorry for starting this later than I initially intended! Holidays got the best of me._

 _As far as updating, I hope to update fairly regularly but because I have school and work I can't promise much. Especially since I'm also going through major writer's block with this story unfortunately. But I'm trying to work through it!_

 _I don't think I will be doing as many pictures, if any this time as well. :( I think it's more important to get the actual story out instead of having you guys wait for pictures that would be subpar anyway. And my computer tablet is on its last leg so it's super annoying to draw with it now. Ugh. I do have some sketches I've done of them so I may be including those when I can._

 _Anyway, enough of my bitching, hope you guys are all doing we and had a great holiday season!_

 _Much love_! ❤️❤️❤️


	2. Chapter 2

By the time we arrived at Aunt May's, Peter was already back to his old self which I was grateful for. I understood and appreciated why he was upset at the graveyard, of course, but it pained me to see him hurting. It was a flashback to the time we had first met and started dating. It took months to get him to be more cheerful and happy. It took even longer to be introduced to his aunt.

When I first met Aunt May, I was absolutely terrified. Peter and I had just gotten out of the taxi and walked to the front door when I gently held his arm back to have him face me. He looked at me curiously, waiting for me to speak. When I did, my voice was quiet and trembling.

"What if she doesn't like me?" I mumbled, kicking the ground with my feet. Peter chuckled and lifted my face up to meet his. He kissed me tenderly.

"She will adore you," he whispered, his forehead leaning against mine. "I'm sure of it." I smiled and nodded. He gave me one more quick kiss on my cheek before turning back to the door and knocking. I heard bustling in the house and a woman yelling.

"Come on in, Peter!" The woman called to her nephew. "I'm just putting in the meatloaf!" Peter laughed and turned the doorknob, letting me walk in the house first. I stepped into a narrow hallway opening up into a living room. On the staircase I saw pictures of a man, woman and small boy. I looked back to Peter who was watching me study the photos with a soft expression. "My aunt, uncle and I," he explained without me asking. "This was a year after my parents died." My smile turned sour and I held out my hand to grab his. When he took it, I squeezed it comfortingly.

"They would be proud of you," I said confidently. Peter smiled and kissed the top of my head.

"Peter, who are you talking to-"

An older woman came into the hallway with a dish towel in her hand. She took one look at our close proximity and dropped it. "Peter!" She seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"Aunt May!" Peter exclaimed. He walked me forward to her and stopped when we were only a few feet apart. "This is Emily. Emily, this is Aunt May." I held out a shaking hand.

"It's so great to meet you Ms. Parker," I said softly. Aunt May stared at my extended hand for a moment, face frozen in shock. I glanced at Peter who wasn't saying anything but whose eyes seemed to be dancing with silent laughter. I was just about to retract my hand when Aunt May shot forward. I yelped as she engulfed me in a hug.

"Oh dear, please call me Aunt May," she said immediately, still clutching onto me. "What a wonderful surprise, I had no idea Peter was seeing anyone!" I frowned slightly over her shoulder. _Peter hasn't told her about me_? I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I didn't have time to dwell on this however, as Aunt May took my hand and lead me into the dining room commenting on how happy she was and how pretty I was. I thanked her, laughing softly. She was everything I expected from what Peter had told me. Sweet, kind, the epitome of a frazzled, caring aunt. I adored her.

I was again jolted back to the present when our taxi came to a stop. I turned to Peter who was just looking at me. I blushed.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately. "Is there something in my hair?" I started patting it down worriedly before Peter chuckled and took my hand.

"Nothing is wrong, sweetheart," he said assuredly. "I was just appreciating how beautiful you look today." Carefully ignoring the heat that flushed to my cheeks, I quipped back:

"Oh, only today?" Peter rolled his eyes.

"Of course, you are just the most hideous woman I've ever seen, how could I be dating such a troll," he said dryly, starting to fish for money out of his wallet. I laughed and pushed it out of sight. I knew he couldn't afford it with only getting photography money from the Bugle.

"Let me," I said, reaching into my purse. "Besides, it's my fault we take taxis." I winked at him and he chuckled.

"I suppose that's true," he allowed. Once I paid the driver, we exited the taxi and made our way up the familiar steps to Aunt May's house. Peter didn't even bother to knock, instead opening the door with a call of "Aunt May, we're here!" I slid into the house as the woman herself came into sight.

"Emily!" she exclaimed at once embracing me. Peter snorted from behind me.

"Wow, I've been replaced," he said in mock hurt. I turned out of Aunt May's arm's and let him hug his aunt. She laughed as she did so.

"Well of course you have dear," she said automatically. "I've always wanted a daughter." Peter flailed his arms dramatically and made his way to the kitchen.

"I guess I'll just check on the food since that's all I'm good for apparently!" He shouted at us. Aunt May and I howled with laughter.

"You would have to be good at cooking first, darling!" I called back sweetly. I saw him poke his head around the corner and glare at me.

"That was uncalled for," he said. I winked again and I saw a small grin slip through his angry facade. Aunt May giggled and linked arms with me, pulling me into the living room.

"You two remind me so much of me and Ben," she said motioning for me to sit next to her. I flushed as I sat down.

"That means a lot," I said. "Peter has always told me how much he admired your relationship." Aunt May smiled sadly and patted my hand.

"You're too sweet, honey."

The rest of the dinner was filled with laughter and plenty of playful banter, even including a brief food fight with Peter and I before Aunt May stopped us. By the time Peter and I left Aunt May's, we not only had full stomachs but a full purse of leftovers in my case.

Peter and I walked down the street in silence for a few moments while I tried to fish out the cab's phone number. Eventually, Peter gently grabbed my elbow and pulled us to a stop. Slowly, his arms enveloped my frame.

"You and I both know you're never going to find that phone number," he murmured into my hair. I involuntarily shivered at his voice so close to my ear. To my embarrassment, I felt him grin in response to my reaction. "Let me take you home," he continued, pushing my hair away from my neck so he could kiss it. Goosebumps erupted over my skin.

"Bastard," I gasped softly trying halfheartedly to push him away. He laughed.

"I'll go slow," he promised, still littering my neck with kisses. I closed my eyes and sighed, grabbing the back of his head and pulling his lips up to meet mine. We stood there for an undetermined amount of time, just drinking each other in. I ran my fingers through his hair and pushed myself as close as I could against him. He responded by grabbing my hip with one hand and cradling my face with the other. Finally, after I nipped at Peter's lower lip he unattached himself from me. We were both panting slightly.

"Okay," He said eventually, looking down at me with half lidded eyes. "We should take a cab, I won't be able to concentrate now." I laughed.

"If I knew all I needed to do was kiss the hell out of you to get my way," I started, pecking his nose affectionately. "I would have done it a long time ago." Peter gasped in mock horror.

"Oh no!" He cried dramatically. "You have found my one weakness, being kissed by my incredible, gorgeous girlfriend whatever shall I do?" I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face. I reached up and brushed some hair from his forehead.

"Kiss me again?" I asked coyly. He grinned. Before I even had time to blink, he had his lips against mine. We moved together frantically. I once again bit at his lip but instead of pulling away, Peter moaned and grabbed hold of my bottom and lifted me so I had to use my legs to keep hold of his middle. I squeaked at the sudden movement which made Peter chuckle against my lips.

"You're so adorable," he muttered before gently pushing my back up against the light post we were standing next to. I flushed and immediately captured his lips again.

Suddenly, a loud honk interrupted us. I threw my head away from Peter in surprise and ended up hitting my head against the iron pole behind me. I groaned and rubbed my head, closing my eyes. I heard Peter trying to hold back laughter.

"It's okay baby, it's only the taxi," he assured me. "Are you alright?" I nodded, eyes still closed. I felt him shift me slightly so he had one arm under my knees and the other across my back. My eyes flew open.

"Hey, I hit my head, not my legs!" I protested. "Why do you keep wanting to carry me?" He shrugged, eyes dancing with happiness.

"Because I can?" He retorted. "Got a problem with that?" I shrugged as he walked us to the taxi.

"As long as it doesn't become a thing," I said begrudgingly.

"Oh absolutely not."

I raised an eyebrow at Peter who in turn winked at me. I snorted.

After we got into the taxi and thanked the driver before we gave him directions to our house I had a sudden realization.

"How did he know how to pick us up?" I whispered at Peter. He furrowed his brow in confusion before laughing.

"I texted him before we left Aunt May's," he confessed. "I knew you wouldn't want to go home -ahem- _my way._ " I smiled widely and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"You're so sweet," I yawned. He chuckled.

"I thought I was a bastard?"

"Well you're that too," I said. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Why don't you shut your eyes for a while?" Peter murmured against my hair. "I'll wake you up when we get home." I kissed his shoulder.

"Thanks Pete."

"Always."

—

 _Well helloooooooo. Hope you are all doing well..._

 _So I know it's been a while. Life got the best of me the last few months and it's taken me a long time to get better. Just know I've still been reading reviews and messages and appreciate all of you. I hope to respond to everyone very soon._

 _Updating will be slow going, but I haven't forgotten about Peter and Emily!_

 _Much love!_

 _Erika_


	3. Chapter 3

A few days after the dinner with Aunt May, I was sitting in an outdoor cafe waiting eagerly for John. He had just returned back from his space flight the day before and it was my job to write a glowing article about J. Jonah Jameson's astronaut son.

Since I was a few minutes early, I got out my phone and texted Peter.

 _I miss you_

I had barely put my phone back in my pocket before it vibrated. I smiled broadly and fished it back out. It was from Peter.

 _I miss you too my gorgeous girl. Want to see a movie tonite?_

I quickly typed an enthusiastic "yes!" Before I could hit send however, a hand landed on my shoulder. I jumped and spun out of my chair, preparing to land a punch on the person who grabbed me only to see John's stupid face grinning down at me. I puffed out a frustrated sigh.

"Thanks for scaring the shit out of me, asshole," I grumbled but smiled anyway. He chuckled and patted my head.

"Nice to see you too, crazy," he said. I rolled my eyes but pulled him into a hug.

"I'm glad you're home safe," I said when we both sat down. I handed him his coffee I had ordered for him. John accepted it with his thanks.

"Yeah, it was pretty wild up there this time," he said. "Off the record, we found some really incredible new stuff." I raised an eyebrow, pulling out my recorder and setting it down in the middle of us.

"And on the record?" I said nonchalantly. He laughed.

" _On_ the record," he began professionally. "It was a routine expedition to collect data on nearby asteroids. I had a very experienced crew with me whom without their help the whole thing might have been a disaster on multiple occasions." I groaned.

"Yes that's all great John," I said, frustrated at his lack of information. "But can't you tell me more? What happened up there?" He paused.

"I wish I could tell you, Emily," he said earnestly. "But this is confidential shit. I could literally get _arrested_." I scoffed playfully.

"I mean, I guess that's fair," I conceded. "But it's me. Come on!" He shook his head.

"Sorry, crazy," John said, taking a sip of his coffee. "I've been imprisoned more than enough in my life already."

We spent the next hour going over the basics of his mission. He was up there for a total of eight days, circling around the planet and cataloguing asteroids. He hinted that there was something huge that happened while he was in space. I tried to pry it out of him using my investigative skills but I was unsuccessful. Eventually, I gave up and put the recorder away in my purse which was also in between us.

"Ahh, done interrogating me now?" John grinned.

"I know a lost cause when I see one," I said. He steepled his fingers together. "What?"

"So," he started innocently. "How's the spider infestation in your life going?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Nice." He shrugged.

"Sorry, should I have been more direct?" John said. "Hey Emily, how's Peter aka Spi-" I clamped a hand to his mouth before he had a chance to finish revealing my boyfriend's secret identity.

"The fuck, Jameson?!" I hissed. He laughed and pushed my hand aside.

"Calm down, I would never do that."

"Sounds like you were just going to," I countered quickly. He shrugged again.

"It's fun to piss you off," he said. I grumbled some choice words making him laugh again. "But seriously, how are you guys?" I blushed.

"Really good," I said. "He took me to Gwen and his Uncle Ben's graves a few days ago." John knew the basics of Peter's traumatic past so when I told him this his eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Wow," he breathed. "He's really serious about you then Emily." I smiled.

"I'm really serious about him too, John," I admitted. "I know it's only been a few months but this kinda feels like this is it for me, you know?" John fiddled with his watch for a moment.

"Just don't get too attached," he advised. "I'm scared of you getting hurt around him." I opened my mouth quickly but he interrupted before I could say anything. "I know he would never purposefully hurt you but you can't deny that people close to him tend to get in trouble somehow. I mean, for God's sake you've already been kidnapped once and you were barely even dating then!" I shuffled my feet uncomfortably.

"I mean technically that was my idea-" I broke off when I saw the sharp look on John's face. "Yeah okay, I guess that's true, but he saved me! He saved both of us!" John nodded.

"He did, and I'll always be thankful for that. But he can't be everywhere. I'm not saying to break up with him, he's a cool dude and I like him too. Just be _careful._ " I snorted.

"You sound like Peter," I said, avoiding his eyes.

"Emily."

"Yes alright, I promise to try and stay out of trouble!" When I turned to finally look at him he had his pinkie held out to me seriously. "Come on Jameson, we aren't five."

"Promise me, Emily!"

"Fine, fine." I took his pinkie with my own. "I swear to try and stay out of trouble. That good enough for you?"

"That will do."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, I was walking home from lunch a smile on my face. It was nice to have friends I could count on with John and Betty. I realized I still had a strong taste of lunch in my mouth so I reached into my purse looking for a mint. To my surprise, there was a small black spot that looked like ink on the handle. I stopped for a moment to look at it. It seemed to be . . . _moving?_

"What the hell?" I murmured to myself. I was about to try and scratch it off when the purse was yanked suddenly out of my hands. "HEY!"

I took off running after the person. They pushed everyone out of their path and I tried to follow as quickly as I could while saying "Sorry! Are you okay?" to each person I passed. They were faster than me. There was no way I could catch up to him. I cursed loudly and grabbed at the stitch at my side. To my (somewhat) surprise, I heard a gentle _thwip_ coming from behind me. I turned to see my boyfriend swinging from his webs after the individual who had stolen my bag.

"Don't worry, random citizen!" He shouted down at me. "I will retrieve your purse for you!" I laughed.

"My hero!" I called after him. Spider-Man pointed a finger gun back in my direction before swinging into an alleyway after the person. I leaned against the wall patiently.

It was no more than three minutes before my bag was dropped onto the ground in front of me. I chuckled and didn't bother to look up before saying, "That was faster than normal, Spidey." The man himself jumped from the wall above me and casually leaned against it.

"Couldn't leave a damsel waiting, now could I?" He said cheerfully. I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm a damsel now?"

"Well, you certainly couldn't catch up to him and I gave you plenty of time," Spider-Man quipped back. There were a few people who had stopped briefly to listen in to our conversation, so I said the next part quietly so only he could hear.

"Were you following me?"

"It's a distinct possibility?" His voice raised at the end of the sentence as if he were asking a question. I sighed.

"You know I can handle myself," I said, stepping closer and crossing my arms.

"I know!" He said holding his hands up. "That's why I tried to give you space to handle it!" I smiled.

"I appreciate it," I said. I noticed the increased number of people watching so I hugged him as thanks while whispering in his ear, "You let me know if there's anyway I could repay you _Spidey_." I heard him choke slightly which made me grin. He backed away quickly.

"Y-yes, well, ma'am here's your purse." Spider-Man grabbed the handle of my bag and handed it to me. "You get home safe!" I laughed.

"Always."

He waved at me before swinging off again. There were a few moments where the people around me asked a multitude of questions, including, but not limited to:

"Are you Spider-Man's girlfriend?"

"It seemed like he _knew_ you!"

And my personal favorite:

"Is his ass also that great when he's naked?"

I shot the woman who said that a confused look before addressing everyone's questions.

"Sorry to burst your bubbles," I started loudly. "But my relationship with Spider-Man is strictly professional. I am a reporter so we've met on several times, nothing more than that." Everyone groaned in disappointment and slowly dispersed from the area. I sighed.

I was about to start walking again when I felt my phone buzz. I took it out and read the message.

 _"Strictly professional," huh?_

I laughed and wrote a quick reply.

 _Stalker._

I was about to put my phone back in my bag when I remembered something. Twisting it around, I looked everywhere for the strange black spot that was just on my purse a mere ten minutes before. But no matter how hard I searched, the spot was no where to be found.

"Strange," I murmured. I shrugged, chalked it up to my imagination and began walking home.

* * *

At 6:30 that night, I stood outside the movie theater. Peter had told me he would meet me so I arrived early to get tickets. I watched other couples hugging onto each other before entering the theater. Sighing, I checked my watch again. 6:35. He was officially late. I wasn't too surprised, it was one of the drawbacks of dating a superhero. He was always late.

I sat on a nearby bench and decided to answer a few work emails while I waited. When I opened my inbox, I was surprised to see at least fifteen new emails, six of which were from J. Jonah Jameson. I groaned but read through them, responding to all of them in his latest email. One was from one of John's colleagues from the expedition answering a few questions I had sent. I thanked her, telling her how much help she had been for my article. Another was from John himself, who had sent me a picture myself talking to Spider-Man earlier today. Apparently, someone had posted about it on Twitter. I chuckled and wrote a response to him as well.

By the time I had answered all of my emails, it was nearly 6:50. The movie had started now. But there were still a good fifteen minutes before previews started. A pit began to grow in my stomach though. Usually if he's this late, he at least texts me to let me know he's okay and on his way. I hadn't received anything from him besides a conformation for the movie we were going to see. I bounced my knee anxiously.

I finally decided to call him at 7:15. He answered distractedly.

"What's up, hun?" He said. I let out a sigh of relief knowing he was at least safe.

"Did you forget something?" I asked.

"No?" He said confused. I gave him a moment for him to try and remember. "Oh. Oh shit. Em, I'm so sorry I totally forgot!" I blinked. He _forgot?_

"Ah," I said trying to keep my voice light. "Well I'm sure you had other things going on." I heard wind through his side of the call.

"I'm on my way, we can still see it!" Peter called. I checked my watch.

"The movie started already," I said. "It's fine, we can see it another time. I'm tired anyway."

"Em-"

"It's fine," I interrupted. Before I could say anything else, the sound of sirens blaring came through the phone. I smiled sadly. "Duty calls. Stay safe, Pete."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said. I didn't respond and hung up. I rubbed my eyes.

"This sucks," I muttered.

When I got home, I flopped onto my bed. Pumpkin mewed questioningly and immediately placed himself directly on my back. I chuckled into my pillow.

Realizing I wouldn't be able to fall asleep quite yet, I called John. He answered with his normal "Hey there, crazy!" And I cut straight to the point.

"If a guy says they 'forgot' about a date they made earlier that day, what does it mean?" I asked. John was silent for a moment.

"We talking guys in general or a specific one?" He said finally.

"Specific one," I mumbled. He hummed.

"Well, considering this side job your man has," he began. "It's not too surprising. Has this happened before?"

"No!" I said at once. "He at least always texts me, but I had to call him and he didn't even remember at first." I could almost _hear_ John frowning through the line.

"Yeah, that's not like him," he agreed. I took a breath and asked him what had been bothering me all evening.

"Do you think he doesn't care about me as much anymore?" I asked softly. John gave a short bark of laughter.

"Definitely not. We were just talking about how earlier today he took you to his dead girlfriend and uncle's graves. That's a huge step, he wouldn't have done that for just anyone." I nodded even though he couldn't see me.

"That's true," I said, brightening a bit.

"More than likely he got distracted by some baddie and lost track of time," John said. I nodded again.

"Yeah, you're probably right," I said.

"Of course I am, I'm an astronaut."

"Heh. Not sure what that has to do with dating advice but, okay, sure," I chuckled.

"Got you to laugh though."

"Thanks, John," I murmured.

"Anytime, Emily."

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, there was a small bouquet of flowers that looked suspiciously hand picked and a note on my table. I smiled and read it.

 _Em,_

 _I'm so sorry I forgot about our date. Something really weird happened last night, I have to show you later. If it's okay, I'd love to bring you lunch today to make up for my stupidity?_

 _Lo_

 _Always,_

 _Peter_

I grabbed my phone quickly and sent a text to Peter.

 _See you at lunch_

It wasn't long before I got a response.

 _As you wish_

* * *

 _Here's another (longer) chapter! Two in one day, holy shit! I felt bad for making you guys wait so long so I wanted to make it up to you!_

 _Much love!_


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, I arrived at the Bugle earlier than normal. I had a lot of work to do on the article I was writing about John and his team and I wanted to make sure I had time to make the evening edition of the paper.

I was working with my headphones in, bopping my head slowly to the beat while I compiled all the data I had from John and his colleague. Without notice, someone slid into my cubical and pulled out the earbud from my right ear. I turned. Eddie Brock, the man who had taken over my roll as main superhero reporter was leaning against my desk.

"Brock," I acknowledged, confusedly. It had been months since he had talked to me, as he had finally gotten the hang of badmouthing Spider-Man and no longer needed my help. Not that I helped him bash my boyfriend to begin with but, whatever. "What can I do for you?"

"I found something interesting yesterday," Brock began, tossing a few photos on my keyboard. "I was hoping you could tell me what this was all about."

Suspiciously, I picked up the pictures and flipped through them. They were all of me and Peter. Well, Spider-Man Peter that is. One just of us talking, one of me crossing my arms in front of him, one of me hugging him, and one of Spider-Man holding my purse. Brock had apparently been tailing Peter yesterday.

"Wow," I said, feigning an uncaring attitude. "You took some great pictures of Spider-Man getting my purse back from a thief. Great investigative skills, man." I handed the photos back to Brock and returned to my keyboard. In response, he leaned over and flipped off my computer screen. "Hey! I was working!"

"There's more to this than you're telling me," he said. I tried to keep my face confused.

"Like what?" I asked. "I secretly have a boner for Spider-Man? Who wouldn't to be fair, have you seen his ass-"

"I'm not talking about that!" He interrupted. "You two seemed to know each other."

"Well yeah, but it's like I told the people there, which I'm sure you heard: yes, I do know him but only as a reporter who's had her life saved by him," I said. "Nothing more. We aren't friends, we aren't together, I don't know him beyond that." He glared at me for a few moments. "Are we done?"

"You're dating Parker, right?" Brock asked suddenly. "Doesn't he take Spider-Man's pictures?" I laughed.

"Good luck trying to get information out of him, dude," I said, trying not to show just how uncomfortable this conversation was making me. "Between you and me," I leaned forward conspiratorially. "I've tried everything to get him to tell me something about the spider. And I mean _everything._ But at this point, I've just given up. His lips are sealed." Brock nodded, apparently believing me.

"If you can't get him to tell you anything, I doubt I could," he grumbled. "Still, I may give him a call anyway. Just to be sure." I threw my hands up in frustration.

"Do what you want, Brock. Can I please get back to my article now?"

When he finally left, I let out a sharp gasp. I needed to be more careful around Spider-Man or people will start suspecting even more. That was too close for comfort.

I had barely gotten settled when another hand lands on my shoulder.

"God, what now?!"

"Um, hi?"

I turned to see a slightly hurt Betty. I swore.

"Sorry, Betty," I said, rubbing my face. "I thought you were Brock."

"Oh that guy who replaced you? Is he bothering you again?" Betty asked, taking up Brock's spot by leaning against my desk. I shrugged.

"He wanted to know why I was talking to Spider-Man yesterday," I said, returning my gaze to my (still) unwritten article. Betty gasped.

"You saw him again?" She screeched. I nodded. "That is so unfair! How do you get all the luck?"

"Funny enough, I don't really consider getting my purse stolen as lucky," I said evenly. She wasn't deterred.

"Well you got it back right? No problem."

"I worry about you."

"Hmm, Amber says the same thing," Betty said softly. I chuckled.

"I'm not surprised," I said. "Anyway, is there something you needed?" Betty squealed and clapped her hands together.

"Yes! Okay here it goes: I want you to be my bridesmaid!" She said in one breath. I stared at her open mouthed.

"You mean the wedding that's in two weeks?" I exclaimed. She nodded vigorously.

"Yeah that's the one!"

I sputtered in disbelief for a few moments. "B-but there's no way I can get a dress in this short amount of time!"

"That's no problem! My other bridesmaid had to bail, she had a family emergency back home in Australia and she won't be able to make it back in time. You two are the same size and we need an even number of bridesmaids to match Amber's for the walk down the aisle! So please you're my only hope!" Betty gave me the biggest doe eyes I've ever seen on her. I hesitated.

"And you're sure you want me to do it?"

"Yes, of course!"

I thought for a moment before finally answering.

"Alright, if that's really what you wan-" Before I could finish, Betty had flung her arms around my neck excitedly.

"Thank you, thank you, this is going to be wonderful! I'm so happy, we are having a bachelorette party on Saturday night, I understand if you have other plans since it's such short notice but it would be so _great_ if you could come and meet the other girls!"

Betty continued on for another ten or so minutes before I convinced her to leave. It's not that I didn't love hanging out with her or talking to her, but I had to have this article done before the end of the day. I checked the time. It had already been an hour and a half since I had arrived in the office. I groaned. At least I had a few hours before Peter got here for lunch. If he came.

A couple hours later, I had a good chunk of the article written. It needed to be done by 3 pm so the designers of the paper can put it in the appropriate spot for the evening publication on the website. I was just about to turn off my computer for lunch when a familiar face appeared over the wall of my cubicle.

"Hey," Peter said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. I was still peeved at him, so I responded with a monotone "Hi." He flinched slightly at my tone and came around to kneel next to my chair.

"I'm so sorry about last night, Em," he said. "Truly. I messed up." Peter gently took my hand and held it. "I brought your favorite sandwich from that deli you love down the street!" He pulled out a bag from behind his back and placed it on my desk. I sighed.

"Don't let it happen again," I grumbled. He grinned widely and plastered a messy kiss to my cheek.

"Absolutely not!"

During lunch, we caught up on what the other had been doing since we had last seen each other. It was then that Peter told me the reason he had forgotten our date.

"Wait, what exactly happened to your suit?" I asked confusedly. He ran a hand through his hair quickly.

"It _changed._ I don't know how or why but it's different. Here-" Peter lifted up the sleeve of his jacket to show his suit underneath. It had turned from the normal bright red and blue to a dark grey and black. My mouth fell open. Slowly, I traced the silver webbing that ran up his forearm. My brow furrowed.

"This happened just last night?" I asked, meeting his gaze. He nodded.

"I was resting on a web hammock waiting for to hear something happening," he began, shuffling his sleeve down before someone walked into the lunch room. "I had my eyes closed and I thought I felt this tingling on my arm. I opened my eyes because I thought there was a spider or bug but it wasn't. It was like I had dipped my suit in ink and it spread throughout my whole body." I frowned.

"Are you okay? I mean have you experienced any other side effects?" I questioned.

"Not that I know of, but it made me stronger. I don't know how, but I'm stronger than I've ever been. It's _incredible_." I shuffled uncomfortably in my seat.

"This doesn't feel right, Pete," I confessed. "Maybe you should make a new suit, get rid of this one." He stared at me for a moment.

"Is it the black? Is it too dark?"

"No, Pete it's not the color. You don't know how this happened, what if it's a trick by one of your enemies or something like that? You don't know where this came from it could be dangerous!"

"I've already been wearing it for hours and I'm fine!" He argued. "If it was dangerous wouldn't something have happened to me already?"

"I don't know babe, but do you really think it's worth the risk?" I leaned across the table to grab his hand. "I don't want to lose you, Pete." He kissed my hand.

"I promise if it starts hurting me I will take it off," Peter said. "I will." I eyed him suspiciously. "Honest!"

"If you say so," I conceded. He grinned widely.

"I do!" He wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed the top of my head profusely. I playfully pushed him away.

"We are at work! Act professionally!" I tried to seem stern but I knew I was smiling. He chuckled.

"Fine, fine," He said. "Reject my affection."

I rolled my eyes. Stuffing the last bite into my mouth, I checked my watch.

"I gotta go, hun, thanks for lunch!" I gave his lips a quick peck.

"Anytime," he responded. "Call me on your way home?" This has become a normal routine for us, as his Spider-Man duties often kept him too busy to meet face to face.

"Always!"

—

 _Anyone play the new Spider-Man PS4 game? I finished it yesterday and oh man. So good._

 _Best wishes!_


	5. Chapter 5

By the time the night of Betty's bachelorette party on Saturday, I hadn't even heard Peter's voice since the lunch days before. I had made good on my word and called him the night he brought me lunch to work, but since then I'd only received infrequent texts. I wasn't sure if he was just that busy with Spidey work or if he was hurt or angry or what. Thousands of possibilities raced through my head, none of them positive. I ran a nervous hand through my hair. In the back of my mind, his new suit kept popping up whenever these thoughts plagued my brain. I wasn't sure how or why his suit changed, but I was sure it wasn't normal or good. I didn't trust it.

The only thing I had to look forward to was a visit from my mom. She had a business trip in New York, so she was flying out Sunday and staying until Tuesday. I had planned a dinner for her to officially meet Peter for Monday night, but I was worried he would forget. When I texted him the details and asked if he was available, I only got a one word answer of "yes!" I wasn't sure if he really understood what he was agreeing to.

I grumbled while applying my eyeliner. Betty's party was two hours away and the lack of communication with Peter and my dislike for parties put me in a foul mood. I wasn't sure where we were going, but I had a pretty good suspicion.

In a last ditch effort to hear Peter's voice, I called him while waiting for the curling iron I had plugged in to get hot. A minute or so later of listening to the dial tone, I got his voicemail.

"Hey, you reached Peter! If you're Mr. Jameson, I promise I will send you the picture ASAP, if you're anyone else, I'll call you back when I can!"

I thought about leaving a message but decided against it. If he wasn't answering, it was unlikely he would listen to the voicemail. I ended the call and opened my messages. There was about ten texts from me to Peter and none back from him. I started typing.

'Hey, so you probably forgot but tonight is Betty's bachelorette party. Sooooo if you try to call I probably won't answer. But I might if I get a chance? Just call or text when you can. I miss you. Be careful.'

I hit send and sighed. I really cared about him, but this was getting ridiculous. He's never been this bad at communicating before. After a moment of pouting, I determinedly stood up straight and looked at myself in the mirror. The woman looking back at me was unfamiliar, sad, plastered with makeup and donned in a short blue dress.

"Okay, you just aren't going to think about him for the rest of the night," I told myself. "You are going to go out, have fun, and get super drunk." I nodded and grabbed the curling iron.

* * *

My suspicions were confirmed the moment I exited the taxi. Betty's bachelorette party was at a strip club. How stereotypical. I groaned but walked to the door to open it.

The inside was classier than I expected, but that wasn't saying a ton. Red curtains and beads covered the walls, and scattered around the room were lots of tables and chairs. To the right, there was a long bar with pulsating bright lights, and there was an enormous stage in the back with women and men dancing around poles. At least there were men too.

I weeded my way through the crowd searching for the bride. Finally, at a large table in front of the stage, I saw Betty. She was decked out in bride merchandise galore, a t-shirt with 'BRIDE' on it, a sash that said 'BRIDE-TO-BE,' and a tiara with veil atop her head. A large glass of mostly drunk alcohol completed her ensemble. Apparently she had wasted no time getting a drink. I approached the table.

"Betty, hey!" I exclaimed. "You look great!" Betty spun her head around and squealed.

"You came!" She stood up and grabbed hold of me. "I'm so happy you're here, let me introduce you to everyone!"

After learning everyone's names and promptly forgetting them, a drink was shoved into my hands and I was forced into a chair.

"The real show is about to start!" Betty was practically vibrating in her chair with excitement. "Wanna guess the theme?"

"Oooh, is it firemen?" One of the girls (Jess?) yelled excitedly.

"Construction workers?" Another shouted. (No wait, that's Jess.) Betty laughed.

"No, it's Avengers!" She screeched. Unfortunately for me at that moment, I had finally taken a sip of my drink and immediately spit it back out. The girl next to me thumped on my back as I coughed up the burning alcohol.

"You okay there, Emily?" She asked. I nodded and gave a thumbs up, ignoring the tears in the corners of my eyes. Betty giggled again.

"I thought you might get a kick out of this," she said conspiratorially. "Girls, this is the same writer at the Bugle who used to write all those articles about Spider-Man! He saved her life a few months ago and everything!" All eyes zeroed in on me, some shocked, others curious, but all jealous.

"Ooooh, I did recognize you! You were on the cover of the paper this last week with Spider-Man, he was stealing your purse!" One said. I shook my head and opened my mouth to dispute this, but this declaration seemed to open the floodgates for the other girls' questions.

"Do you know who he really is?"

"Have you slept with him?"

"Can you give me his number?"

Finally they ran out of questions and waited for me to answer. I held up a finger, grabbed a shot from the middle of the table, and downed it before continuing. The girls screamed in excitement and clapped.

"Sorry to disappoint, ladies," I said. "But I don't know anything more than you do." They all groaned.

"But he saved you!" Maybe Jess exclaimed. "You must know something!"

"Yeah!" Probably Jess agreed. "Give us something!"

"Umm," I started. "Well, he's . . . strong?" They stared back at me, some rolling their eyes.

"You aren't very good at this are you?" One (not Jess) said, frowning.

"Gossiping or human interaction?" I asked, downing another shot. A corner of Not Jess's mouth lifted up in a half smile.

"Both." I chuckled.

"What gave it away?" I responded. Everyone laughed and raised a glass.

The show was interesting to say the least. It included very sexy women and very muscular men decked out in all sorts of superhero attire. Thor's body was covered with his enormous red cape until the music dropped and he threw it off to reveal a skimpy gold thong and a hammer hooked to the side. Iron Man had lights attached to her hands and a mask. When the inevitable happened, all the girls at the table screamed.

"Spider-Man" leapt onto the stage, wearing only a mask and a skin tight red and blue thong. On his wrists he had silly string that he could shoot when he used the Spider-Man finger pose. The bachelorette party around me all screeched and pointed at me.

"Get her, Spider-Man!" They begged. "Get her with your web!"

Before I knew it, I was covered in bright white silly string and everyone was laughing. "Spider-Man" bowed and traded places with Black Widow. I looked down at myself, shrugged, and took another shot. At this point, things were seeming much better than they were earlier. I was giggling and screaming with everyone else, I even slipped a few dollars into a particularly nice looking Hulk.

Just as I was really enjoying myself, I heard my phone go off over the loud music. I frantically grabbed for my purse and looked at the caller ID.

It was Peter.

I smiled widely and excused myself to a quieter corner of the club near the entrance.

"Pete!" I answered happily.

"You're at a strip club?" He grumbled. I giggled, thinking he was joking.

"Well yeeeaaaaaah, it's Betty's bachelorette party, remember?" I responded. "Wait, how did you even know where I was? Did you follow me again?" I whispered the last part into the phone and snorted.

"I tracked your phone when you didn't text me back," Peter hissed. "I'm outside." I blinked in surprise. I looked back to the table and saw Betty watching me curiously. I held up a finger and walked outside.

"Where are you?" I said, looking up at the dark sky. Suddenly, an arm grabbed my waist and I was yanked into the nearby alley. I didn't even have time to scream before I saw the face of my would be captor.

The real Spider-Man was staring down at me, his black mask much more menacing than his original. I stumbled and felt my back hit the brick wall. I giggled nervously.

"Heyyy Spider-Man!" I exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in FOREVER." Spider-Man tilted his head to the side.

"Are you . . . drunk?" He demanded. I laughed.

"Yeeeeaaaaaaaaah, Betty gave me this awesome drink and I kept drinking and then there were shots I had some of those-"

"Why would you be so careless?" Spider-Man interrupted. I felt my brows furrow in confusion.

"Isn't that what you are supposed to do at a bachelorette party? I could be wrong, Not Jess said I wasn't good at human interaction." I laughed harder. Spider-Man growled and punched a fist into the brick next to my head. I sobered immediately.

"What even is that on your dress?" He hissed at me. I stayed frozen.

"It's silly string from the stripper," I muttered. He put both hands on either side of my head, trapping me in place.

"And why would he spray you with silly string?"

"Well that's a funny story," I tried to laugh again. "It's actually Avengers night and a Spider-Man stripper had silly string for the web! Ya know? Pew pew!" I made the Spider-Man hand gestures but he didn't laugh.

"Oh I see, the real Spider-Man was too busy and you thought you could replace me with a stripper version?!" He spat. I balked.

"Peter," I whispered, horrified. "No, of course not-"

"Well how should I know, you seemed awfully busy if you couldn't even text me back!" His mask was inches from my face at this point. I swallowed.

"Peter, can you take off your mask, it's scaring me," I begged. This time he laughed, throwing his head back.

"You see this mask all the time, what's so scary about it?" He demanded.

" _You_ are making it scary," I said.

This seemed to break him out of whatever mood he was in and bring him back to reality. He took a few steps back and removed his mask. His face was shocked.

"Em," Peter began. "I-I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry." He tried to reach out to me but I flinched.

"It's fine," I said hollowly. "I'm going back to the party, okay?" I was a few steps away when he called my name. I turned expectantly.

"I miss you," he murmured.

"My mom will be in town," I said, ignoring his declaration. "We are having dinner Monday night. Come meet her." He nodded immediately.

"Yeah, of course, I'll be there!" I smiled sadly.

"I hope so," I whispered, walking out of the alleyway and back into the party.

* * *

 _So let's all agree that I'm shit at updating, yes? But trust me, I haven't forgotten about this or you guys! It's just been a rough year for me but I'm working through it!_

 _Love you all!_


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